|  | 1.5 | Routing and the Different Classes of Routing Protocols
| 1.5.4 | Default route
Figure shows a use for a default route: a routing table entry that is used to direct packets for which the next hop is not explicitly listed in the routing table. In this example, Company X routers possess specific knowledge of the topology of the Company X network, but not of other networks. Maintaining knowledge of every other network accessible by way of the Internet cloud is unnecessary and unreasonable, if not impossible. Instead of maintaining specific network knowledge, each router in Company X is informed by the default route that it can reach any unknown destination by directing the packet to the Internet.